Strategies for Vocabulary
Development
Middle & High School
Martha Lamb
August, 2010
Today’s Schedule
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9:00 – 9:30
9:30 – 10:30
10:30 – 10:40
10:40 – 12:00
12:00 – 1:15
1:15 – 2:30
2:30 – 2:40
2:40 – 4:00
Get-Acquainted Activity
Part I
Break
Part II
Lunch
Part III
Break
Part IV
**Solicit volunteer to be time-keeper
Get Acquainted
Goals
Each participant will be able to:
• Use research-validated practices for selecting and
prioritizing words for vocabulary instruction
• State the five essential steps for teaching vocabulary
to mastery (A-PREP)
• Name at least three ways of providing a context when
teaching new words
• Identify at least five different activities to use for the
“elaboration” phase of vocabulary instruction
• Access numerous activities to use for the “practice &
play” phase of vocabulary instruction
Turn and Talk
Turn to a partner and
discuss what you
know about how a
child learns to talk.
Functional Vocabulary
Receptive
Productive
Oral
Listening
Speaking
Written
Reading
Writing
Functional Vocabulary
Receptive
Productive
Written
vocabulary
Oral
Listening
Speaking
Spoken vocabulary
Written
Reading
Writing
Reading vocabulary
Listening vocabulary
Functional Vocabulary
Receptive
Productive
Written
vocabulary
Oral
Listening
Speaking
Spoken vocabulary
Written
Reading
Writing
Reading vocabulary
Listening vocabulary
How is Academic Vocabulary Acquired?
Wide Reading
+ Direct Vocabulary Instruction
Strong Working Vocabulary
Implication for Instruction:
Choose words to teach based on each word’s:
•Frequency of occurrence
•Importance for understanding course content
Selecting Words for Vocabulary Instruction
Tier 1 words:
Basic vocabulary (book, girl, run, orange. . . ) Teach to
Tier 2 words:
High frequency/multiple meaning words (masterpiece,
fortunate, benevolent, measure. . . ) High priority for
ELLs
instruction
Tier 3 words:
Low frequency/subject specific words (isotope,
cardiovascular, legislative, metaphor, integer . . . )
Should be taught selectively.
Critical terms are essential for
proficiency in content classes.
Brain research tells us we must limit the number of words
we teach at one time. For optimal learning, introduce no
more than 3 – 5 new words per lesson.
How can I prioritize my vocabulary terms??!?
•Critically important
•Useful, but not critical
•Interesting, but not particularly useful
Effective Vocabulary Instruction: A-PREP
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Access Prior Knowledge
Teacher Provides a context
Students Re-state
Students Elaborate
Students Practice & play
Access Prior Knowledge
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Paired-Partner discussion
Vocabulary Self-Awareness Chart
Prediction chart or foldable
Teacher Provides a Context
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Tell a story
Share an image
Relate to a current event
Provide an experience
Voluminous
Avenue
Turbidity
Viscosity
Classroom Example: Survivalism lesson
Activity
• List five words that you will be teaching
in the coming year
• Turn to a partner and brainstorm ways
you could provide a context for your
students when teaching these words
• Teach one of the words to the group
by providing a context
Students Restate Definition In Their Own Words
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Critical for comprehension & retention
Must be checked for accuracy**
**Safeguard first-time learning
Students Elaborate on New Vocabulary Terms
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Create a visual: illustration, symbol, icon
Dramatize (live or with cartoon frames)
Examples
Non-Examples
List synonyms or antonyms
Word Parts
Tools:
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Jim Burke’s “Vocabulary Squares”
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Frayer Model
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Words Gone Wild
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Expanded Flash Cards
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Word Work Choice Board
Activity
• Move about the room while the music
plays. . . When it stops, partner with the
person who is nearest to you.
• You & your partner will collaborate to
answer questions about content you
have learned so far today
Activity
• Move about the room while the music
plays. . . When it stops, partner with
the person who is nearest to you.
• You & your partner will collaborate to
answer questions about content you
have learned so far today
1.
What are the 5 steps for teaching vocabulary and what is the
acronym for those 5 steps?
Activity
• Move about the room while the music
plays. . . When it stops, partner with
the person who is nearest to you.
• You & your partner will collaborate to
answer questions about content you
have learned so far today
2.
Name the 3 ways that were presented for accessing prior
knowledge of vocabulary words.
Activity
• Move about the room while the music
plays. . . When it stops, partner with
the person who is nearest to you.
• You & your partner will collaborate to
answer questions about content you
have learned so far today
3.
Name 4 ways of providing a context when teaching new terms.
Activity
• Move about the room while the music
plays. . . When it stops, partner with
the person who is nearest to you.
• You & your partner will collaborate to
answer questions about content you
have learned so far today
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Name 5 different tasks (not tools) you can have students do to
elaborate upon vocabulary terms.
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soliloquy
subsidy
overload (law of)
biodegrade
outlier
Activity
Elaborate on three of the terms by
utilizing a different elaboration
tool for each word.
Terms:
Tools:
soliloquy
subsidy
overload (law of)
biodegrade
outlier
Vocabulary Boxes
Frayer Model
Words Gone Wild
Expanded Flash Cards
Word Work Choice Board
Effective Vocabulary Instruction: A-PREP
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Access Prior Knowledge
Teacher Provides a context
Students Re-state
Students Elaborate
Students Practice & play
Students Practice and Play With Words
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10-24-7 rule of practice
Puzzles
Random Name Picker (classtools.net)
Quizlet
Linear Arrays
Which One Doesn’t Belong
Classroom Feud
Goals
Each participant will be able to:
• Use research-validated practices for selecting and
prioritizing words for vocabulary instruction
• State the five essential steps for teaching vocabulary
to mastery (A-PREP)
• Name at least three ways of providing a context when
teaching new words
• Identify at least five different activities to use for the
“elaboration” phase of vocabulary instruction
• Access numerous activities to use for the “practice &
play” phase of vocabulary instruction
BREAK
Return when you hear the
theme song from Cheers
BREAK
Return when you hear the
theme song from Cheers
Lunch
One hour + ten minutes for lunch
Be ready to start at the end of “Cheers”
music.